[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THERESA LAVERNE HARRIS

                                 ______
                                 

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 1997

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, the first days of the 105th 
Congress are clearly historic and momentous days as a new Congress 
begins to address the myriad of problems that face our Nation. At the 
same time, however, I would urge all of us to take a moment to reflect 
on some of the major events which have taken place over the past few 
months and perhaps more importantly on the millions of strengths that 
have made us, and this Nation, what we are today.
  An example of one of these strengths is Theresa La Verne Harris, who 
passed away on November 21, 1996. Throughout her life, Theresa LaVerne 
touched all of us who had the pleasure of knowing her with her humor, 
her strength, and perhaps most importantly her dignity.
  Born in Beaumont, TX, to Armand Rodney and Geraldine Phillips 
Richard, Theresa LaVerne was the oldest of three children. She spent 
her early youth in Louisiana and Mississippi until her family moved to 
California in 1943. She lived in California for the rest of her life, 
attending Los Angeles public schools and graduating from John H. 
Francis Polytechnic High School with honor, in 1947.
  It was during her college year at UCLA, where she majored in English, 
that she met and married her husband of 45 years, Robert E. Harris. 
Together they had three sons, Michael, Vincent, and Trevor.
  Following her graduation from UCLA in 1953, Theresa LaVerne began a 
long distinguished career with the Los Angeles Unified School District 
[LAUSD] as an educator and personnel administrator. Over the next 16 
years, she excelled at her career; she raised three outstanding 
children; she was a loving and supportive wife; and she went on to earn 
a master of arts degree in personnel administration from Pepperdine 
University.
  During this time Theresa LaVerne served the LAUSD in a variety of 
administrative capacities before taking a 2-year leave of absence to 
serve as assistant superintendent for personnel services for the 
Compton Unified School District in 1983. She retired from LAUSD in 
1989.
  As both an educator and an administrator within the public school 
system, Theresa LaVerne worked hard to ensure that the students under 
her charge had the best education available to them. While she was 
deservedly proud of her personal and academic achievements, she was 
more interested in using her strengths and her assets to elicit the 
best from those around her.
  In passing, Theresa LaVerne Harris is survived by her husband; Robert 
Emery Harris, her three sons and their wives: Michael and Anita of 
Fresno, Vincent and Celeste of Oakland, and Trevor and Kamela of 
Fresno; her father Armand Rodney Richard of Los Angeles; her brother, 
Dr. Rodney A. Richard of Pasadena; her sister, Geraldine Constance 
Speed of Carson; her three grandchildren, Ahmad, Mazisi and Jamila; a 
great granddaughter, Maya; two aunts, and an uncle; and a host of 
nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family.
  She is also survived by the thousands of people whose lives she 
touched and invariably improved, some of whom knew her well and others 
who simply benefited from her efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I worked with Theresa LaVerne Harris and have had the 
privilege of knowing her and her family for decades. Theresa LaVerne 
was a devoted wife, a wonderful and nurturing mother, and a role model 
for all of us who had the opportunity to know her. She will be sorely 
missed.
  As I said earlier, however, it is up to us to remember people like 
Theresa LaVerne and to build on their strengths and their legacies. It 
is people like her who should be our role models.

                          ____________________